📝 Match Preview: City v Bury

Exeter City will be looking to get themselves back into the play-off places when they welcome third placed Bury to St James Park in Sky Bet League Two.

The Grecians go into the match in a positive run of form having picked up a win over MK Dons and a point away from home at Carlisle United last weekend.

Ahead of the match with the Shakers, who are yet to be beaten in 2019, manager Matt Taylor said: “They’re a really good team, and they dominated the game when we played up at Bury, we were only in the game for a 20 or 30 minute period in the second half, so it’s going to be a tough test but it’s one we’ve got to look forward to and enjoy.

“We’ve got nothing to lose in terms of welcoming another promotion candidate to the park, we have to take the game to them and attack the game. No matter what the score is at 5pm on Saturday we have to say that we’ve had no regrets about our performance."

LAST TIME WE MET

The sides last met back in early December on what was a disappointing day for the Grecians as they fell to a 2-0 defeat with goals from Jay O’Shea and Byron Moore doing the damage for the home side.

TICKET NEWS

Tickets are on sale at advance prices until 5pm in person and midnight online, on Friday, February 15 so, why not save money and time queuing by buying in advance!

To buy online please click here. You can purchase on mobile, tablet or desktop or by calling: 01392 411 243. You can also visit the club shop/reception at St James Park.

Ticket prices are as follows:

MATCH DAY PROGRAMME

In the latest edition of The Grecian, you can read an in-depth interview with on loan full back Kane Wilson as he discusses his development, how he is glad to be back at the club and how he wants this season to end successfully. Also inside you can hear from local journalist Matt Bamsey, who previews the match with Bury, and you can also get everything you need to know about our opponents.

ACTIVITIES AROUND THE GROUND

Bringing the whole family to Saturday's match to support City against third place Bury?

There is plenty on offer pre-matche to keep the whole family entertained and to make sure your St James Park experience is extra special.

Just take a look at what is available below...

Rodeo Bull!

How long can you hold on to the spinning, jumping and Bucking Bronco Rodeo Bull?

Make sure you have a go on the new attraction in Red Square for Saturday's match!

Stadium Tours

Did you know that the Supporters' Trust offer FREE tours around St James Park?

The free guided tours are great for anyone who’d like to get a behind the scenes view, whilst finding out about the history of their club. The tours are open to all; you don’t have to be a Trust member to come along.

Tours start at 11am on matchdays from Red Square and take in many parts of the ground that you wouldn’t otherwise get to see, including the boardroom, the brand new players’ changing rooms, match officials’ facilities and the security hub.

Lasting around 90 minutes, you will almost certainly learn something you didn’t know before, and maybe you’ll be able to tell us something from your experiences of coming to City that we didn’t know!

The face painters are a valuable addition to matchdays and judging by the sights around the ground it is just as popular with adults as well as youngsters.

Their normal route if you want to catch them is: Starting at the Tombola Stall they head through Red Square for the Centre Spot before heading back to the Junior Grecian Family Zone. Leaving the zone for the stadium, they start with the IP Office Main Stand and Stagecoach Adam Stansfield Stand before finishing on the Thatchers Big Bank.

Join the Guard of Honour

Want to be on the pitch as the players enter SJP? Then be part of the flag waving, Guard of Honour!Subject to the weather, this week's Guard of Honour will assemble at 2:30pm, with lucky children from the Stagecoach Adam Stansfield stand selected. Parents are both welcome AND encouraged to join in the activity.

After assembling, the Guard of Honour (and parents) move to the far side of ground to get some practice in waving their flags, which also presents an opportunity to pose for photographs.

When the players finish their warm up the Guard of Honour go on their 'lap of honour' in front of the stands to the players’ tunnel. After they have been on the field and welcomed the teams and officials onto the pitch they receive their “gift” (normally a packet of sweets) and certificates of participation. If your son, daughter or grandchild has not been involved in the Guard of Honour, please email customerservices@exetercityfc.co.uk.

Junior Grecians Lounge

The Junior Grecians are the Official Junior Supporters Club of Exeter City FC and its members have exclusive use of the Zone from 12:30pm until it is available to all families at 1:30pm.

The room provides a safe comfortable environment for families to enjoy pre-match entertainment, such as a large screen TVs, Playstation consoles and Table Football, as well as the option to enjoy refreshments from the Zone’s very own kiosk.

A feature wall displaying a packed Big Bank also provides a photo-sharing opportunity using the #jgzone hashtag. There are activities and competitions to suit all junior age groups, from FIFA19 and Table Football tournaments to free Activity Packs for younger children.

The Zone also features a VIP party area and there are several party packages available to book throughout the season.

The Family Zone and Stadium Family areas are supervised by Junior Grecians volunteers who have undergone DBS checks and our aim is to make a family visit to St James Park as enjoyable and trouble-free as possible.

So, if you are visiting St James Park on a matchday with children, be sure to pop in to the family zone!

Matchday timetable

Take a look below to familiarise yourself with the key matchday timings here at St James Park.

BARS

The Centrespot bar is open from 11am, through half-time and post-match for the results or the live game on six screens. The live games will be the cup ties between Brighton & Hove Albion v Derby County at lunch-time, and post-match Newport County v Man City. The Red Square Export bar will also be open from 1pm.

In the CentreSpot the alternative Camra bar, FEC RACE, are ready to serve real ale, cider, hot food, and programmes from 1pm up until a few minutes before kick-off. They are also open at half time for IP Office users and will also be open post-match.

You can also gain access to the Stagecoach Adam Stansfield stand from 12:30 to watch the lunchtime kick-off.

Other Activities

You can also pick up some free player stickers, featuring players that have come through the Exeter City Academy on the day in Red Square. You can also take part in the Exeter City tombola where the first prize is a signed Exeter City football. All funds raised go directly to the academy to support the future of the club.

MATCH DAY MUSIC

Here’s the playlist that you, the supporters, have chosen on social media for the matchday.

MASCOTS

You can read the mascot profiles in the match day programme which you can pick up in the stadium for £3.00 on the day. For mascot booking or information, please contact andy.gillard@ecfc.co.uk

CLUB SHOP

The club shop will be open from 11am to give you the opportunity to make some purchases ahead of the match and will close at 5.30pm.

2019/20 Season tickets on sale now!

Season Tickets for the 2019/20 campaign on sale and offer great value savings on admission to St James Park, for all ages.

Adults can watch the Grecians for as little as £15 a match in the Thatchers Big Bank, a saving of £3 per-match on gate prices. Under-18s can watch the Grecians for as little as £4 a match with under-12s priced at just £3 per match. Click here to find out more!

📝 City 0 Bury 1

A Nicky Maynard goal condemned Exeter City to a 1-0 defeat against Bury at St James Park in Sky Bet League Two.

In a game of fine margins, the Grecians were undone by a second half finish from close range, and despite dominating large parts of the game, they were unable to find their way back into the match.

City boss Matt Taylor made three changes from the side that drew 1-1 in Carlisle last weekend, with Lee Holmes, Ryan Bowman and Dean Moxey returning in place of Kane Wilson, Lee Martin and Jonathan Forte.

Exeter started the game well, and Randell Williams went down in the box after a superb piece of skill to fashion a shooting opportunity - but the referee waved away appeals for a penalty from the home side after six minutes.

A mix-up between Dean Moxey and Christy Pym nearly left the Grecians’ goalkeeper stranded as the defender nearly diverted a ball beyond his own keeper, but Pym recovered – his flailing right leg got enough on the ball to clear the ball, and the danger.

City were restricted to speculative efforts in the opening period; Ryan Bowman’s knockdown – originally meant for Williams – found its way to Nicky Law on 18 minutes, but the midfielder blazed an effort from distance over the bar. Maynard then blasted a cross from the visitors’ left over Pym’s crossbar as Bury crafted their first real opportunity of the game. The away side had another shooting opportunity from a free-kick on the edge of the Exeter box in the minutes that followed, but Jay O’Shea’s effort again flew over.

City responded well to the pressure, and Pierce Sweeney’s cross after 25 minutes was met by the head of Law, but his glancing header went wide of Joe Murphy’s goal. Sweeney would turn provider yet again from a free-kick down the City right, but the best chance of the passage that followed fell to Archie Collins, whose deflected effort landed on top of the Bury goal.

Only a spectacular flying save from Murphy then prevented Bowman from opening his City account with 34 minutes on the clock; Holmes crossed and the City striker rose highest to meet it, only to see an airborne Murphy claw the ball away from the Bury goal.

Bury nearly went into half-time a goal to the good after Will Aimson met a free-kick from deep with his head, but thankfully for the Grecians, the ball landed inches wide of Pym’s right-hand post.

The visitors would take the lead after creating the first clear-cut chance of the game on 64 minutes when Craig Woodman was beaten down the City left and eventually the ball fell for Nicky Maynard, who did just enough to score from close range.

Pym was then under pressure again as a Bury counter created a shooting opportunity for Jay O’Shea, but the City goalkeeper made a comfortable save diving low to his left.

Another stop from Pym – this time 1v1 when Byron Moore broke clean through on goal – kept City in the game; the City goalkeeper’s outstretched leg denied the Bury man a certain goal with just over 10 minutes to play.

City responded, and surged forward in pursuit of an equaliser; substitute Donovan Wilson saw a shot blocked inside the area, before a second effort moments later flew wide, but couldn’t find a way through a defensive Bury side who emerged with all three points.